StateDeptcable1978-11438

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Message Text

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 01 KUALA 00424 17I000Z
ACTION HA-05

INEO OCT-OI EA-IO ISO-00 PA-OI PRS-OI INRE-00 USIE-00
SSO-00 CIAE-00 INR-07 NSAE-00 DODE-00 SS-I5 /040W

029000 I7I0I6Z/II

OP I70930ZJAN78
PM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1797
INEO AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
AMCONSUL HONG KONG
AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
AMEMBASSY MANILA

CONPIDENTIAL KUALA LUMPUR 0424

E.O.II652: GDS
TAGS: SREFVN

SUBJECT: REPORTED DROWNING OP VIETNAMESE BOAT REPUGEES

REF: KUALA LUMPUR 0339

1. AS INDICATED PARA 4, REPTEL, EMBASSY REPUGEE OFPICER
HAS INVESTIGATED CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING SINKING OP
VIETNAMESE REPUGEE BOAT AND REPORTED DROWNING OP NINE REFUGEES.

2. BOAT PIRST LANDED ON MALAYSIAN COAST NIGHT OP 7 JANUARY
36 MILES NORTH OP TRENGGANU. LOCAL AUTHORITIES INNOCULATED
15 PEOPLE ABOARD POR SMALLPOX, FURNISHED PROVISIONS AND TOLD
THEM TO LEAVE. BOAT LANDED AT TRENGGANU ON 10 JANUARY.

POLICE ORDERED BOAT TO LEAVE. REPUGEES RESPONDED THAT THEY
HAD NO POOD OR WATER AND BOATS ENGINE INOPERABLE. BOAT
ALLOWED TO ANCHOR IN ESTUARY CLOSE TO LOCAL MARKET. BOAT
REMAINED AT ANCHOR THROUGH 1 1 JANUARY. POLICE RECORDED
NAMES OP REFUGEES AND GAVE POOD AND MILK TO REFUGEES.

IN EARLY HOURS OP JANUARY 12 A VOILENT STORM AROSE
WHICH SNAPPED ANCHOR CABLE AND BLEW BOAT INTO MIDDLE
CONPIDENTIAL

CONPIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 KUALA 00424 171000Z

OP RIVER WHERE IT BROKE UP AND SANK. NINE REFUGEES
DROWNED. SIX SURVIVORS GIVEN IMMEDIATE CARE BY POLICE.

BODIES RECOVERED POLLOWING DAY AND GIVEN DECENT BURIAL.

SURVIVORS GIVEN CLOTHES AND MOVE TO PULAU BESAR
REFUGEE CAMP.

3. SURVIVOR WHO RELATED ABOVE PACTS TO REFUGEE OFPICER

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassifled/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

ASKED THAT CHIEF OF POLICE BE THANKED EOR HIS KINDNESS. SIX
SURVIVORS BEING INTERVIEWED BY INS FOR ENTRY AS CAT IV
REEUGEES UNDER IPP-77.

4. COMMENT. REFUGEE OFFICER REPORTS IT APPEARS THAT
REEUGEES WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO LAND.

FIRST REPORTS OF INCIDENT AS RELAYED REFTEL GAVE RISE TO
SUSPICION THAT DROWNINGS WERE DUE TO REJECTION OF BOAT,

BUT THIS APPARENTLY WAS NOT THE CASE. THERE ARE CONTINU-
ING REPORTS THAT MALAYSIANS HAVE TURNED AWAY SOME
SEAWORTHY BOATS, AND THEY CLEARLY PREFER THAT REEUGEES
GO ELSEWHERE. THEY NEVERTHELESS CONTINUE TO ACCEPT REEUGEES,
PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO CANNOT GO ON, AND TO TREAT THEM
HUMANELY.

MILLER

CONFIDENTIAL

NNN

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Message Attributes

Automatic Decaptioning: X

Capture Date: 01 jan 1994

Channei indicators: n/a

Current Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Concepts: REFUGEES

Control Number: n/a

Copy: SINGLE

Draft Date: 17 jan 1978

Decaption Date: 01 jan 1960

Decaption Note:

Disposition Action: RELEASED
Disposition Approved on Date:

Disposition Case Number: n/a
Disposition Comment: 25 YEAR REVIEW
Disposition Date: 20 Mar 2014
Disposition Event:

Disposition History: n/a
Disposition Reason:

Disposition Remarks:

Document Number: 1978KUALA00424

Document Source: CORE

Document Unique ID: 00

Drafter: n/a

Enclosure: n/a

Executive Order: GS

Errors: N/A

Expiration:

Film Number: D780024-0694

Format: TEL
From: KUALA LUMPUR
Handling Restrictions: n/a
Image Path:

ISecure: 1

Legacy Key: Iink1978/newtext/t1 97801 56/aaaabuxa.tel

Line Count: 77
Litigation Code IDs:

Litigation Codes:

Litigation History:

Locator: TEXT ON-LINE, ON MICROFILM
Message ID: 0ed1cfe2-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc
Office: ACTION HA

Original Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Original Handling Restrictions: n/a
Original Previous Classification: n/a
Original Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a
Page Count: 2

Previous Channel Indicators: n/a
Previous Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a
Reference: 78 KUALA LUMPUR 339
Retention: 0

Review Action: RELEASED, APPROVED
Review Content Flags:

Review Date: 28 apr 2005
Review Event:

Review Exemptions: n/a
Review Media Identifier:

Review Release Date: n/a
Review Release Event: n/a
Review Transfer Date:

Review Withdrawn Fields: n/a
SAS ID: 3763875
Secure: OPEN
Status: NATIVE

Subject: REPORTED DROWNING OF VIETNAMESE BOAT REFUGEES
TAGS: SREF, VN
To: STATE
Type: TE

vdkvgwkey: odbc://SAS/SAS.dbo.SAS_Docs/0ed1cfe2-c288-dd1 1-92da-001cc4696bcc
Review Markings:

Sheryl P. Walter
Declassified/Released
US Department of State
EO Systematic Review
20 Mar 2014

Markings: Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassifled/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014